Display device



J. LA ROCCA DISPLAY DEVICE Sept. 23, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22, 1948 Joim Za 12006 12.

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Sept. 23, 1952 J. LA ROCCA DISPLAY DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1948 INVENTOR. Jdm Zafzooca.

BY I P/JQWL ffJM" ATTORNEY.

Sept. 23, 1952 J. LA RoccA 2,611,572

, DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 22, 1948 s Sheeis-Sheet 3 12a I INVENTOR. 19c fiZmZaflacca.

. Y M 7/Z4M;;MM.

ATTORA/E). 1

Patented Sept. 23, 1952 DISPLAY DEVICE" Y p JohmLa; Rocca, Valley Stream; N. Y., assignor to Pioneer Mounting &. Finishing (Jo.x Inc.. New v York... N. Y. a corporation of New Yon-lg Application June 22, 1948, Serial No. signs 2. Claims. (Cl. 248174) This. invention is: an

device Of sheet. material shaped to present samples; of merchandiseand advertising. matter for purposes of display.

- Aniimportantiobjectt oi the invention. is to provide. an exhibiting device of: sheet material comprising: hinged members which. can be folded against other portions, so that. the device can. be flattened or collapsed tor storage or shipment, andwhich are associated with retaining elements, that automatically act to maintain all parts in proper position. when; the. device. is set up complete;

Another. object. is; to: provide a. display stand. having movable members to: be; manipulated to give the stand itspredeterminedfinal configuration,. and bearing tongues that are so mounted with respect to said members that the tongues atonceh without; further manipulation swing. into engagement with a. part. of the device or other rigid. surface and thus the stand is put into readiness for its intended use.

Other objects and, advantages are made clear in the iollowing description. and the novel. features are pointed out in the claims. But this disclosure isexplanatory only, and presents; only the best formsof my improvement now known to. me; andI. reserve the. right to make.- changes in various details without necessarily deviating from the. general design. characterizing. the invention.

or omitting any of; the. essential parts.

On. the: drawings,

Figure: 1 is a. rear view in. perspective of. anexhi'biting. devicev according to my invention Figure 2 is a horizontal, section on. line. 2-2 of Figure 1.;

Figure 3. is. a. rear. elevation. thereof. with, the parts in collapsed position;

- Eigure l is a front view in perspective of another embodiment. of my invention;

Figure dis a. vertical section on. line. 5'--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a. front. elevation of said other embodiment with. all parts. folded together;

Figure '7 isa view similar to Figure. 1. showing another embodiment. of. the invention;

Figure 8 is a. transverse. section on line &-8 of Fig re. 7;.

Figure 9' is a rear view of the stand. ofjFigure 7 with all parts collapsed; V

Figure 10 is a front view similar to Figure 4. of a further embodiment of my invention as it. appearswhen set up;

Figure 1-1 shows the. same embodiment col.- lapsed;

improvement in exhibits ing devices; and more particularly an exhibiting Figures 12 and 13: are. views similar to Figures.

10. and 11 respectively showing. an additional form of display stand;

Figures 14 and 15. are sections. alonglines I l-14 andv l5--l5 respectively on Figures 12 and 10;: and. I

Figures 1.6 and 1''! are. respectively arear'eleva tion, and a horizontal. section. of another iormof my invention.

The exhibiting device has the. form of a dis.- play stand, and. it can be. conveniently fashioned. out of cardboard or other sheet material cut and scored for bending into. desired form or to be. folded fiat to be stored or packedv for Shipment... In. Figures 1, 2 and. 3 the stand comprises a flat. piece of. cardboard or the. like.v oi any required outline, as shown at I, to: serve as a; display panel, On its front face. this panel can: bear pictures. printing, symbols and other advertising. matter,, and to the rear face. is secured, a supporting part, 2, glued or otherwise. attached. Thisv member has a longitudinal central section. 3 between parallel longitudinal. score lines 4, between which and the side edges are triangular or wing members 5. When. these side. sections are bentv along the score lines 4 away from the panel I, the stand can be placed.v on any horizontal surface. and the sections 5 will act as props to. hold the. panel I in upright position. The piece. 2 is attached to the panel over the. face of the middle portion 3. of the entire member 2 between the. lines 4. and the sections 5 are widest along the. edges which serveas the. bottoms of the props. These edges can be inclined. at such anangle to the. lines 4 that. when the stand is set up, the panel is not. vertical. but tilts slightly backward. Just below the middle of the length. or height. of 'the member 2, each side thereof has two transverse or horizontal parallel cuts 6. Thesecuts lie mostly in the sections 5, but they extend across the score lines 4. for a short distance. All four cuts 6 are of the same length. The ends thereof are united, by score lines 1 in the middle part 3.. These two. score lines. l, joining the ends ofjthe cuts 6 near the. intersections of. these cuts.- with the lines 4 and lying between these lines 4, are relatively close together; being separated by a space'lessthan the distance between the score lines i- The other two score lines 8 uniting the; more remote ends of the cuts 6 are much. farther apart, 1yi'ng, withinthe sections 5, near their outer lateral edges.

These cuts 8 and scorev lines land 8 define two. small rectangular sections 9 in the member. 2; one cooperating with each prop. section 5 Each section 9 is cut" through in the middle to.

make a transverse or horizontal tongue I ll, these tongues extending towards each other. They remain connected to the sections 9 at one end, which may be termed the root end; and the extremities of the sides of the tongues at the root ends are united to the cuts by score lines II parallel to the lines 4 and 8. The small sections 9 can therefore be bent somewhat along these lines I I. The score lines 4 are interrupted by the sections 9 and do not cross these sections.

It will now be clear that the distance between each pair of score lines I and 8 is greater when the sections 5 are laid flat against the panel I than when the sections 5 are swung away from the panel by bending them along the score lines 4.

Therefore as the sections 5 are turned into position to hold the panel upright, when the device is set up on a horizontal surface, the shortening of the distance between each pair of lines 'I and 8 inevitably causes the sections 9 to bend along the lines I I. The parts of the sections 9 between the lines I and II, except the tongues I9, come to intersect the planes of the sections 5, bending around the lines I. The remaining parts of the sections '9 including the tongues I9 are swung outward about the lines 8. The tongues I9, being rigidly attached to these sections 9 along the root ends, are then forced into the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2. Their outer or free ends thus come into abutting engagement with the back of the panel, making frictional contact therewith. This action takes place automatically, and the stiffness of the sections 5 will press the tongues against the panel and hold them fast. Thesections 5 are now maintained in position to act as props to support the panel I, and the stand will not fall till the tongues are released by ones fingers and pushed back towards the lines 4. The rectangular sections 9 will thengradually straighten out and come back towards registry with the faces of the sections 5 and 3. When the member 2 is completely flattened again, the sections 9 will once more lie in the plane thereof, and the stand can be stored or set up again. No fastening means on the tongues are needed.

Hence the device is very easy to set up, and to do this nothing more is required than to bend back the sections 5. The manipulation is quick and certain in its results.

In the embodiment presented in Figures 4, 5

and 6, a base or bottom section I2 is connectedto a hinged member I3 serving as the display panel, which can be turned up or down along a score line I4 at one edge. This panel is joined along the edge I4 to a horizontal section I5 which makes contact with the upper face of the base along the front thereof, and is afiixed thereto as by gluing.

In the panel are vertical cuts I6 running from the section I5 into the panel I3, two outs I6 being employed. The ends of the cuts of each pair are united by transverse score lines I! in the sections I5 and I8 in the panel I3 near its free or upper edge; and the cuts and score lines enclose two rectangular sections I9 which begin below the top or outer end of the display panel and extend across the score line I4 into proximity to the front edge of the section I5 on the base I2. Each section I9 is also cut through to outline tongues 20, which extend in a direction away from the outer or free end of the panel towards the line I4. The attached or root ends of the tongues are joined to the cuts It by score lines 2I in section I9, the "tongues of course being rigidwith respect to said sections.

When this blank is collapsed, the distance be tween each pair of lines I! and I8 is greater than the distance between said lines when the panel is set up. Hence the movement of the panel toward upright position causes bending of the sections I9 about the score lines 2|, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5; but the tongues 20 do not bend. They-swing'back'of themselves with the portions of the sections I9 between the'lines 2| and I8, about the upper score lines I8 and come into contact with the stationary base [2. The panel is thus supported because the frictional contact of the free ends of the tongues 29 with the base I2 will prevent slipping. The remaining areas of the face of the panel 3 shown at 22, 23, 24 and 25 can bear advertisin matter; and packages of merchandise can be inserted into the recesses or openings left by the tongues 20. The section I5, except the lower ends of the sections I9 is of course glued or otherwise secured to the base I2. The openings left by the tongues are indicated at 26.

The operation of this form is thus similar to the operation of the first form described above and gives the same result.

In Figures 7, 8 and 9 the stand is similar to the stand shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 but the middle portion 3' between'the vertical score lines 4a is narrower. Between the creases 4a and their lateral edges the legs or props 5 have additional longitudinal score lines 8a. Both the creases 4a and 8a are interrupted near the middle of the member 2. To this end the member 2 has transverse cuts 6 as before to define sections 9'. Each of the two sections 9' has one end between the extremities of the lines 5 connected to the member 2 along a crease in line with the adjacent crease or score line 8a; and the other end is joined to the middle portion 3 of the member. 2' along score lines 1 which are'relatively close together. Above and below the sections 9' are transverse cuts 6' parallel to the cuts 6 and joining the adjacent ends of the-score lines 4a and 8a, both of which terminate at these cuts 6, but being continued therefrom to both the top and bottom of the member 2. Each cut 6' is joined to the ad-- jacent cut 6 by a vertical cut II, which is-close to, but just out of line with the adjacent crease 4a, being placed a little towards the score lines 8a. The cuts 8, 6 and II thus define four tongues I0, two ateachside one above the other.-

When the wings 5 are turned-away from the- 8a is greater, the wings 5 can be folded -fiat' against the middle part 3' of the member 3by bending them along the lines 8a.

It will be noticed in connection with the design of Figures 7, '8 and 9, that the swinging of the parts 5 away from the panel I necessarily causes some bending of the parts 5 around the score lines 8a and as soon as the parts are bent in this manner the tongues I0 stick out in the planesofjthe parts 5 which extend away. from thel panel and. thus project into engagementwiththe back 'of the panel.

Figures 10, 11 and 15 'presentanother design of exhibiting device in the for-mof a displaystand of'sheet material having one layer to make ab'ase l2 and a panel or display member l3 to be supported upon this base. The panel I3 is in one piece with a section [5' that is made fast, as by gluing to the front of the base l2, and the panel is hinged to the section l5. In the middle the panel has an upright opening 26 which is widened at the lower portion; the sides along this lower portion being concave; and the section has a rounded projection l5a which lies in the lower portion of the opening 26' when the parts of this stand are folded together.

At each side of the projection I5 is a transverse score line Ila, and in the lower part of the panel i3 are alined transverse score lines l8a. The inner ends of these score lines are connected to the curved edges of the opening 26 and the outer ends by cuts Hi, to mark 01f sections l9a at each side of the middle opening 26.

The cuts l5 extend forward past the score lines Ha into the section 15' and their front ends are connected to transverse score lines [To that run to the side edges of the section l5 of the base. These score lines Ill) and cuts 16 mark off connector strips [91) that are joined to the panel 13' along transverse score lines lBb which begin at the score lines It at points adjacent the score lines I8a and extend towards the side edges of the panel I3; terminating in L-shaped cuts l6a that make part of the side edges of the connectors or sections l9b and run straight through the side edges of said connectors. The cuts Ilia outline projections or tongues 20' rigid with the panel l3 at both sides. The projections 20 are free at one end and when the panel is turned up the sections Sc and 19b are into inclined position, bending around the score lines 11a and l8a, and Ill) and I817. The projections 29 then extend down and their lower ends enter openings 21 in the base to lock the main part of the panel [3' in display position. The panel, the front l5 of the base l2, the sections lSa, and other parts can be printed with advertising matter and the article can be inserted in the lower part of the opening 26 to rest upon the projection [5a. This device is set up, when the parts are flat, a shown in Figure 11, by swinging the main part of the panel 13 forward, lifting the sections l9a and H317, and inserting the projections 20 into the apertures 21.

In the additional modification shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14, the base 12a has another sheet of material secured thereto along one terminal portion, as indicated at I So, and the remainder of the sheet presents a panel l3a to be held up in visible position. The panel or display member l3a has transverse score lines Ma extending from the sides towards the center, but terminating short of the center, and below these lines Ma are other score lines of the same length He. The inner ends of the score lines Ma and Ho are connected by longitudinal cuts 16a. These score lines and cuts enclose sections or connectors 190. Between the sections I90 and at the center of the lower part of the stand is a section or connector I 9d enclosed between cuts lfib, which are parallel to the cuts I60, and score lines, one of which is in line with the score lines Ma, and the other l'ld being a little closer to the front of the article than the line He. Thus the section 19d is outlined; and between the section 19d and the side sections We are tongues 20" out free along their sides by the lines 160 and Iiib, and also out free at their lower ends along the lines 28. The lower ends of these tongues 20" have wide projections so that when the panel 13a is turned up, the sections and [9d are lifted into inclined position; while the tongues 20 remain rigid with the panel 13a and swing back until the projections 28 at their lower ends enter the apertures 21. The

panel l3a is then held up in the position shown in Figures 12 and 14.

In the modification of Figures 16 and 17 which is similar to the invention as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the cuts Illa outlining each tongue l0 are continued along both sides past the free end of the tongue into the middle section 3. Joining each cut Illa with one of cut 6 in the section 3 is a short score line 1a. Hence there is a small projection Hib in the middle section 3 between the cuts Ilia which is rigid with the section 3. Also the two rectangular sections 9 each have another score line 8a parallel and close to the line 8. Thi structure is easier and surer to manipulate and can be set up to better advantage, because, where the members 5 are swung out as shown in Figure 17, the parts 9' of the sections 9 move more freely, swinging about the score lines M as hinges, and the part lilb of the section 3 between them does not bend at all and does not hinder the parts 9'. Also the extra creases 8a enable each tongue 10 to move more readily into place to prop the parts 2 against the panel I.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

l. A display stand comprising a base and a panel to stand upright on the base, connector sections hinged to the panel and to the base at each side of the panel and base, said panel having an opening between the said connector sections, a connector strip hinged to said base and to said panel at theouter side of each connector section, and a tongue rigid with the panel and extending from the lower part thereof adjacent each connector strip to hold the panel upright on said base.

2. A display stand comprising a base and a panel to stand upright on the base, connector sections hinged to the panel and to the base at each side of the panel and base, said panel having an opening between the said connector sec- JOHN LA ROCCA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Davidson June 5, 1934 Number 

